With something of angelic light.
She smiles shyly and looks down, avoiding my eyes.
“I have no words to express how beautiful you look right now. I guess there aren’t enough words in the dictionary to express it. I wonder, when God made you, what was the angels’ reaction? I’m sure they must have argued with Him to keep you in Heaven.” Her cheeks burn in a blush, and oh how I love this shade of her skin. My fingers pass from her shoulders to her arms. She starts to feel my touch now, as I feel her delicate skin vibrating under my fingertips. The fire last night has shaken both of us, and without saying anything about it, we have become close, very close.
“Cynthia and Emma have done a wonderful job. You didn’t even thank them. They gave their time and worked on me, on Christmas Eve. That’s a huge favor.” She looks at me through the mirror.
“I don’t take favors. But yes, they have done a beautiful job. I like how your hair is done. And the smoky eyes are…”
“Thanks for treating me like Cinderella.” She smiles through the mirror. “I feel like I’m in a fairy tale, an ordinary girl, getting dressed for the royal ball by a fairy godmother. But this time, the fairy godmother is none other than her actual prince charming.”
“So you think in this story, Cinderella found her prince before the royal ball?”
“Cinderella found her prince a long time ago. It took her a really long time to recognize him.” She speaks passionately, looking into my eyes. I see desire flaming in them, as much as I have in mine.
“Now that Cinderella knows that her fairy godmother is actually her prince, this fairy godmother wants to add one more thing in this preparation.” I take a box from my jacket pocket and look at her. She watches me quizzically. “Cinderella is not supposed to refuse her godmother or prince, whatever. It will break the spell.”
She remains quiet as I take the thick diamond-beaded chain out of the box, the one I wanted to give her the first time we met. Her eyes are full of surprise and the look of I-don’t-need-it. I ignore her expression and place the necklace around her beautiful neckline. She closes her eyes and lets me lock the chain behind her neck, shifting her hair over one shoulder. Oh fucking hell! She smells so intoxicating.
I move closer to her shoulders, to inhale her fragrance more deeply. It diffuses through my nerves like an addiction, always, since I’ve met her. I hear her heart pumping faster at my touch. I kiss her softly at the back of her neck, where the necklace is clasped, and her body starts resonating. I drop a few kisses on her shoulder; she turns her face to the side, giving me space to go wild. If I don’t control myself, we’ll never get to the party. I slide my fingers over her collarbone and she starts to hum with pleasure.
“I’m never going to let you go, Rania. Ever.” Her body signals me that she heard every word I just said. “Do you trust me, when I say that?” I see her through the mirror. Her eyes are closed, but she opens them instantly when I say the word trust. She turns around and looks at me face to face. Her eyes are wet, as if she is about to burst into tears.
“I trust you more than I trust myself, Adam. But there are a few things that you need to know. You don’t have to say how you feel about me. I can see it in your eyes, in your words. But…” She closes her eyes for a moment, takes a deep breath, and looks at me once again. “But before anything, I want to tell you about myself. I haven’t told you before because I was afraid you would never want to see me again and…” She places her hand on my face. “I don’t want to lose you, Adam.”
Is this her way of confessing her love? Does she really feel the same as I feel for her?
“There is nothing that can take you away from me, Rania. No matter what you tell me, my feelings for you won’t change.” I kiss her forehead, and a single teardrop falls from her eye.
“It’s not what you think, Adam. I am not what you see.” She inhales sharply. “It’s very complex.”
“I will wait for you to open your heart to me tonight, after the party. Tell me everything, and I’ll listen. We’ll have the whole night to talk and share ourselves. But right now, I think you should not spoil Cynthia’s efforts.” I smile and wipe the tear from her cheek. She giggles innocently and turns to face the mirror, to see if her makeup is getting spoiled. We both stand up and she looks at me from head to toe.
“You look very handsome, Mr. Gibson. I am sure lots of ladies are going to have cardiac arrest at the sight.” She watches me with tender loving eyes and adjusts my jacket with her delicate fingers.
“I’m sure the men will die too.” I smirk at her and she laughs heartily. “You look tall tonight.” I look at her feet to see what she is wearing.
“That’s because Cinderella is wearing her glass slippers.” She holds up one foot and proudly shows me her sparkling sandals. I see how happy she looks, wearing all these gorgeous things. At least, this has helped her forget last night’s incident for a while. I hold her hands tightly and touch them to my lips.
“I don’t know what I would have done, if anything had happened to you last night. You need to tell me how to thank God. I have no words.”
“You don’t need any protocol to thank Him, Adam. He knows how grateful you are. He lives in your heart, and He listened to you when you needed Him, because you have truly acknowledged His existence.”
She pauses for a moment and reads my face. “This has brought us closer. Hasn’t it?” I agree in silence. Our feelings have changed from a close companionship to the long-desired lovers. She checks the time and tells me that we’re going to be late for the party.
“Do you have your phone?” I ask her, while taking out socks from the drawer.
“Yes, why?” she asks, fixing her necklace.
“Because Eva is supposed to come to the party too,” I tell her. “And you know how she is. She’ll drag you somewhere, and in such a huge gathering, it will be hard for me to find you.” She laughs at Eva’s name and puts her phone in her clutch. I hand her a few pre-signed checks, which makes her look at me quizzically. “Keep them. Lots of people ask for donations. I’m sure they’ll ask you too, once they see you with me. I don’t want you to be embarrassed.”
“I cannot donate from my own pocket?” She sounds offended. Not again.
“You can, but the donations are normally in the thousands, and—”
“And I can’t afford them?” She sounds broken, this time.
“That’s not what I meant, Rania. I mean it’s a grand ball. Lots of rich people are expected to come. They donate heavily, just to get in the news. They compete with each other. The more you donate, the more acknowledgement you get.”
“Then what’s the point? You don’t donate to show off. You donate to help people. And if you want to help, you don’t need to tell the world about it. It’s like throwing your own good deed down the drain.” She has a point too.
“I know what you’re saying, but if you donate from your own pocket, the media may say bad things about you, and I don’t want that. Now please, don’t argue, and keep those checks with you. Trust me, you’ll need them.” I come closer to her and take her hands. “I’ll be there with you all the time, but just in case, if you’re alone, this will help you.”
She gives me a look saying she is not buying it at all, but she doesn’t say anything. Within a few minutes, we drive off with Ali to the party. On our way, she thanks me for the beautiful necklace and all the pampering treatment she had the entire day. She looks happy and relaxed. A complete makeover since last night, when I found her shaking and soaked under the tree. I wonder what she has to tell me after the party. I expect she may tell me that she had a man in her past, the same asshole who burned her and made her afraid of falling in love with anyone. If she’s going to tell me that story, then it won’t bother me. I want her to forget her cruel past and I’ll help her do it. She has no idea how much I’m in love with her, but I’ll convince her.
&nbs
p; During our ride, she talks to Ali about books. I’ve known him for ten years, and I didn’t know he’s a reader like Rania. They talk about some books and authors I don’t know, but when they start on Arabian Nights, I join the conversation. The three of us talk about our favorite magical story, and enjoy the discussion for the whole ride.
We reach the hotel in twenty minutes, as it’s not really far from my place. At the entrance to the party hall, I see Eva yelling at us in excitement.
“Oh my God, Rania! You look so gorgeous tonight.” She speaks so loudly that the people nearby look at us speculatively. “I wonder that Adam is not dead by now.” Eva nudges Rania’s arm and she giggles.
“Trust me, Eva, I’m already having cardiac arrest.” My response makes Rania blush like a rose. Oh my! She will kill me tonight.
“Come on, let’s go see Mom and Dad.” She grabs Rania’s arm and pulls her into the crowd, completely ignoring me. Brian and Mom are delighted to see her. They both hug Rania tightly before they even look at me. Okay! I don’t exist, or what?
“You look very beautiful, Rania. I wonder how all the men here will be able to stand it.” Brian looks at Rania and then at me. “You keep an eye on your girl. Don’t blame me if any of my guests hit on her. Look around, all the men were already swept away when she walked across the room.” He winks at me, and my mother laughs. I pull Rania close to me, my arm snaking around her waist.
“Don’t worry, Brian. I don’t plan to let her out of my sight. I know how many men are eyeing her, but trust me, no one would dare to ask even for a dance.” Rania is blushing again. Mom pulls Rania away from my embrace and suggests introducing us to her extended family. For the first time, I’ll finally get a chance to meet everyone in Moore’s family.
It’s a big hall, accommodating almost three hundred people. There’s a huge bar at one corner and buffet tables set on the other side for the holiday dinner. Across the room is a dance floor, where people are having fun choosing their own music. I didn’t know Mom also invited her own brothers and sisters, from all across the globe. I’m also surprised to see my dad’s extended family. I didn’t know Mom had invited anyone from my dad’s side. I meet all my long-lost cousins and all they keep saying is how lucky I am, having Rania with me.
Everyone seems to be smitten by her. Not just the men, but the women are admiring her too. I meet Scott and his wife Tina for the first time. I have seen Scott in pictures in the news with Brian, as his son who will one day take over his business. I still don’t see Nathan, their other son. Rania gets excited when she sees thirteen-month-old Scott Junior. Even the baby seems to adore her, coming to her instantly when she spreads her arms. It’s getting hard for me not to notice all the attention she’s getting.
We meet and greet people from different circles of life. The media take dozens of pictures, but Rania doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. I’m getting the feeling that she’s accepted the fact that she’s officially my girlfriend now. I keep her hand in mine, not letting it go for a single moment. We also meet Brian’s parents, who flew all the way from England to attend the party. Edward Moore, Brian’s father, is in his eighties, but even at his age he doesn’t neglect to praise Rania’s beauty.
“My eighty-five years of experience says that it is very hard to cope with a beautiful lady like her,” Edward Moore says to me, while holding Rania’s hands. “Especially at gatherings like this.” He looks at Rania through his thick-rimmed glasses. “And don’t make the mistake of losing her. You won’t find anyone else like her.” Rania smiles shyly, looking down at her feet. Edward’s compliments are getting beyond what she can accept. She looks at me to rescue her.
“I intend to cherish her forever, Mr. Edward.” I shake the old man’s hand firmly.
“Then, if I last until next Christmas, I hope to see Adam Junior with you two.” Luckily, Mrs. Edward interrupts him.
“Oh, Edward, stop teasing the poor girl. You’re embarrassing her. They are very young; they have plenty of time before having babies.” She takes Rania’s hands and places them in mine. “Edward will drive you crazy. You two carry on. I am sure you have more people to meet.” With that, she grabs the old man’s arm and pulls him away.
I watch Rania admiringly. The thought of marriage, and imagining her having my babies, is very gratifying. I never thought I’d love anyone so much that I’d want to spend the rest of my life with her. What the old man said was true. She is to be cherished forever, and without taking vows, I can’t have that privilege. She looks at me once and then shifts her gaze around the room to overcome the awkward situation. Her habit of twisting the ring on her index finger tells me that she’s uncomfortable.
She engages herself with baby Scott, to ease her mind, until suddenly Eva comes from nowhere and yells out.
“Guess what! Aunt Marie is here, all the way from Scotland.”
“Who’s Aunt Marie?” I ask Eva.
“She’s Mom’s second cousin. You don’t remember, Adam?” She looks at me, and then continues. “Oh yeah, how would you know? She’s a very famous fortuneteller in Scotland. A professional. I’ve heard she communicates with spirits—you know, dead people and all.”
Rania laughs and shakes her head in disbelief. “She must be lying, then. She can’t be seeing dead people, Eva. It is not possible.”
“No, but that’s what she says. She talks to the spirits and then she tells the future.” Eva’s tone gets serious.
“Then they would be the other spirits. Not the dead ones.” Everyone looks at Rania as she speaks. “Those who are dead, their souls are up in the seventh sky. If she says she talks to the spirits, then they could be the other ones. I mean the Jinn. They can’t be dead people.”
“Are you serious?” Eva asks Rania, her mouth wide open in astonishment. Even I wasn’t expecting Rania to be talking about spirits and dead people so confidently.
“Think of yourself, Eva. If those dead people had no power when they were alive, how would they predict your future now when they’re dead?”
“Why don’t we meet her and find out?” Eva takes Rania’s hand to go meet Aunt Marie. Rania pulls her hand away and freezes.
“No, Eva. You carry on. I don’t want to meet her. I don’t believe in fortunetellers.” Rania looks at my sister with a very serious expression.
“Why is that?” I ask Rania. I’m interested in this conversation too.
“I can’t show her my hand and ask her about my future. Not if she might be contacting the Jinn.”
“So you mean to say she tells the wrong future?” Eva asks.
“I am not saying she is wrong. If she is working professionally, I am sure she is right. But…”
“That’s fine. Don’t show her your hand, but let’s meet her. I want to know if she sees dead people or not. Come on.”
Eva grabs Rania’s arm and takes her to a large separate room. I follow them. I have a strong feeling that there’s something wrong. When we enter the room, there are lots of people surrounding a fifty-year-old woman sitting in the corner, and she is reading palms one by one.
As soon as Eva and Rania approach her, she opens her eyes and looks at Rania dubiously, in a way I don’t like. I get a strange feeling, as if Rania is in danger, and I pull her toward me. I feel the same heavy air that I’ve felt so many times when I was alone with her, trying to get close. But now we’re surrounded by people.
“Please, everyone leave. I will continue after a thirty-minute break.” Marie’s words are directed to the whole room, but her eyes are on Rania. What surprises me is that Rania is looking at her in the same way, as if they share something unspoken. We start to leave with the others, but Marie commands, “Not you, Rania.” We all freeze in our tracks. How did she know Rania’s name? Rania leaves my embrace and walks toward Marie, her arms crossed over her chest, looking suddenly confident. Eva and I exchange looks, trying to work out what’s going on, but o
ur feet are frozen and we are unable to take a step. I feel like a line has been drawn and we are standing on the other side of it. Rania is walking toward danger, but I can’t follow her. She looks intently into Marie’s eyes, until the old lady smiles at her.
“Finally, I have a chance to meet you personally,” Marie says in her sharp voice. “I have heard a lot about you. He has told me everything.” Rania’s gaze gets more intense as Marie speaks; she looks at the blank wall as if someone is standing there. Eva and I exchange another silent look, but we don’t dare to speak in the middle of this weird conversation.
“I am glad he has one friend, Marie, whom he can talk to.” Rania looks at the old lady, and then to the wall. What the hell is going on? Who is she talking about? “What else do you know about me?”
“Don’t ask me, Rania, how much I know. I don’t think you would want to hear, especially when we have intruders here.” Marie glares at me and my sister. Rania averts her eyes from the old lady and turns to leave, but Marie calls her back.
“Don’t let the shadow chase you, Kiya.” At that word, Rania freezes and turns back to the old lady. Who is Kiya? “You have already found your soulmate. He is the only one who can pull you out of the darkness. Don’t lose him this time.” The old lady looks at Rania sharply. Rania’s mouth is open in shock, and her body starts to shake. “You don’t know who I am talking about?” The old lady steps closer. “The one who sneaks into your darkness and guards your nightmares. Why can’t you see him?” Rania’s face pales at the old lady’s words. She looks at me with a blank face for a moment, and then escapes from the room in an instant. Eva and I stand here, still frozen. I don’t know why I can’t move. I want to follow Rania, but I feel like someone has chained me.
Marie puts her hand on my chest and says, “Go and guard her.” When she pulls away her hand, I’m able to move my feet. Shit! What was that? This is so bloody creepy.
I run after Rania, but she seems to have disappeared into the crowd. After a few minutes of searching, I see her running toward the exit. I chase her at full speed and grab her by the waist.
A Silent Prayer Page 36